1. Connecting Kids with Nature
2. New Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Record Expected
3. Where in the World are Susan and Ralph
4. Bear Beware!
5. Foreign Banking
6. Monkey Business on the PCT
7. Crow Talk
8. Joining California Parks Foundation
9. Great Old Broads Walk
10. Camino Art
11. Alcorn's next Fall Camino Events

#1. Kids with Nature

Today I found an good resource for parents and other adults who would like to introduce kids to the outdoors and are looking for suggestions on how to do so. National Wildlife Federation has a new website at www.greenhour.org  . From NWF's Greenhour homepage: "Most adults of a certain age have childhood memories of carefree days spent playing outdoors -- climbing, digging, collecting, building, and exploring the natural world around them, at their own pace, in their own way."
Those children of a generation ago are the parents of today, and you might expect such outdoor play to be part of their families' lifestyle. But today's overscheduled kids are increasingly "plugged in" to electronic devices and media and unplugged from the fundamental and formative experience of nature in their own neighborhood. Their senses -- including, most sadly, their sense of wonder -- are bombarded, overwhelmed, and ultimately diminished."
Richard Louv, author of 'Last Child in the Woods', refers to this nature-child disconnect as 'nature deficit disorder.' One of the primary symptoms is the replacement of the green space by the screen space as the occupier of children's free time. Indeed, a Kaiser Family Foundation study found that the average American child spends 44 hours per week (more than 6 hours a day!) staring at some kind of electronic screen. Studies have linked excessive television viewing to obesity, violence, and even lower intelligence in kids. Now, a growing wave of research indicates that children who spend time outdoors are healthier, overall, than their indoor counterparts."
Children who regularly spend unstructured time outside:
# Play more creatively
# Have lower stress levels
# Have more active imaginations
# Become fitter and leaner
# Develop stronger immune systems
# Experience fewer symptoms of ADD and ADHD
# Have greater respect for themselves, for others, and for the
environment'
The National Wildlife Federation recommends that parents give their kids a 'Green Hour' every day, a time for unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. This can take place in a garden, a backyard, the park down the street, or any place that provides safe and accessible green spaces where children can learn and play."
[ed.] Getting our kids into the outdoors is so important, go to www.greenhour.org  today. You can sign up to get updates and new suggestions for meaningful family-fun activities.

#2. New Pacific Crest Trail record for hikers?

It looks like Scott Williamson and "Tattoo-Joe" will indeed completed the PCT in record time. Scott has "yo-yoed" (hiked Campo-Canada-Campo in one year) the PCT two times; Tattoo Joe currently holds a speed record for completing the PCT (79 days). This year, they left Campo on June 8th and are expected to reach the monument in Canada on August 18th (72 days).
This is in spite of Joe wrenching his knee and their hiking through a fire closure in northern California. The fact that they walked through a closed area has incensed many people, but apparently it was with the permission of firefighters and rangers. Walking through the area was, as his wife Michele reported, "probably not the wisest thing to have done." Scott had water dumped on him from aircraft and said that the ground was so hot in places that it was melting the bottom of his shoes.

#3. Where are Ralph and Susan

Ralph and I have been putting on the miles on the Pacific Crest Trail--the National Scenic trail that runs from the Mexican border (Campo, CA) to just inside Canada (Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia). We were determined to backpack the southern California miles that were all that we had remaining in order to complete California, and also to resume hiking north from Ashland, Oregon.
Completing the 300 miles in SoCal, took several trips this year. First, Ralph drove down and cached water for our trip because natural water near the trail is hard to come by. Then we did hike #1— Agua Dulce to Jawbone/Butterbredt Canyon. Our trip was interrupted by strong winds. As I reported in an earlier newsletter, we estimated the wind speed at up to 60-70 mph — strong enough that we were at times fighting to remain upright. Bottom line, the wind pushed my backpack enough that it set off spasms in my back — and we left the trail. A month later, hike #2, we returned and picked up where we had left off — and continued on to (the southern) Kennedy Meadows.
Our final segment in the south was to be from Cottonwood Pass (12,126') south to Kennedy Meadows. Unfortunately (for our plans), nature intervened again. First it was a late snowstorm; then it was wildfire. The wildfire raged for weeks, but being in a wilderness area, much of that time it was under observation, but not being actively fought. When it was under control, we went for it.
When we climbed to Cottonwood Pass, I was overcome with joy. I had not realized how much I missed the beauty of being in the high Sierra and above timberline. Most of our trips in the recent past have been in either the deserts of southern California or the lower elevation forests of northern California. It was wonderful to once again be able to breathe the clear alpine air. However we weren't there very long -- only three days and then we were approaching Kennedy Meadows (Inyokern), which is at approximately 6,000'. As we entered the area of the Clover fire, we were amazed to find how extensive the damage was to the area immediately surrounding the trail. We found that 4-5 miles of trail were affected. It was clear that the trail closure that had been in effect was not an arbitrary* decision.
The damage to the area varies. In some places, there was already new vegetation springing up; lupine in particular loves disturbed soil. Some trees were only singed; time will tell how much will survive. In other areas, scorched trees had become nothing more than large sticks of charcoal. We saw numerous boulders that had had their outer layers blasted away by the intense heat.
We had a remarkable, rare, wildlife sighting—a wolverine. We notified the biologist in Sequoia National Forest and he told us they would probably send a team out to try to find and study it. No authenticated sightings of wolverines have been reported in the area for many years *Later, we heard from other hikers (before the closure was put into effect) that they had gone through with open flames in the near vicinity. Not fun!
Our even more recent hike was 190 miles from Ashland to Willamette Pass, Oregon and it was also a gorgeous one. Taken together, these hikes have reminded me of why I'm doing all this: the opportunity to immerse myself in beautiful, inspiring surroundings and the fun of meeting people from the hiking community who share our enthusiasm. More about this trip next issue. We have now completed 1,900 PCT miles.

#4. Bear Beware

Marcy Del Clements, who was one of the women featured in "We're in the Mountains Not over the Hill," recently sent me a photo of a bear she saw while hiking in the foothills near her home in Claremont, CA. Both she and the bear were startled by the encounter, but the bear was much more interested in fleeing the area than bothering Marcy.
Shortly after her sighting, this article by Times writer Andrew Blankstein appeared in the Bakersfield Times: "Warning, hikers: Bear attack east of Bakersfield" (July 22, 2008). "A bear attacked and seriously injured a woman hiking in the Walker basin area east of Bakersfield today. The woman suffered facial lacerations and was being airlifted to a medical center. Her condition was not immediately available, said Kern County Sheriff's Department deputy Michael Whors.
"State Fish and Game wardens and county animal control officers were dispatched to the area, known as a hiking spot, to find the bear. The area was hit by a major wildfire earlier this month, burning 30,000 acres."

#5. Foreign Banking

Last issue, I gave several suggestions about dealing with money in foreign countries. Several people had comments to make. Bill B. of Alameda wrote, "we do not carry debit cards, just ATM cards that cannot be used except at ATM machines. We were at a hotel in Antigua, Guatemala, when an Australian woman had her debit card stolen and her travel account back home completely emptied within a few hours. She did get the money back but it was a real hassle. Also, I think credit cards from Capital One and Chase do not add any of their own charges to those imposed for foreign transactions by the Visa or MasterCard companies...."
And even though some financial experts recommend writing "ask for ID" on the back of your credit card instead of your signature, Kimberly S. is not alone in her opinion that "when writing 'see photo I.D.' on the back of credit cards, you SHOULD also sign them for two reasons: they are not valid until signed, and some places (like the US Post Office!) will not accept them; more critically, if left unsigned, the thief can sign your name in their own handwriting and not even have to work on practicing forging yours. Not every place will ask for photo I.D.
She continues, "Best of all is to get a credit card that has your photo embedded. CitiBank offers these, and others do too, free of charge.
[ed] My intent was warn you ahead of time that there are financial matters to attend to before you travel and to offer the advice I'd collected from various experts. Use your own judgment.

#6. Monkey Business

Another correspondent recently sent this item from The Sun (San Bernardino and the inland Empire. ) "Last weekend a female hiker lost her way while returning from Mt. San Gorgonio, the highest peak in Southern California at 11,499 ft. (approx. - some books say 11,502 ft). Anyway, not too long ago, a chimp named Moe escaped from his cage in the So. Cal. mountains. Can you imagine this poor girl being lost in the wilderness and seeing a monkey running through the woods? She must have thought she lost her mind and was becoming delirious from lack of food and warmth (she should have had plenty of water - I hiked San Gorgonio on June 21 and there was lots of water). I wonder how many other wild and exotic pets are running loose in the wilderness due to their owners either letting them go or they escaped?

#7. Crow Talk

The article in National Wildlife Magazine (Aug/Sep 2008) entitled "Something to Crow About" caught my attention. In my opinion there are more crows around (where I live) than there were 10 years ago. Perhaps that's why the article intrigued me.
Kevin McGowen, a Cornell University ornithologist, writes that crows may congregate to roost in numbers from fewer than 100 to more than 2 million (Fort Cobb, Oklahoma). He also lists several possibilities to explain why they roost in cities: cities may be 5-10 degrees warmer than the countryside; they're less bothered by great horned owls; and the light may help them see owls' that do pursue them, and finally, some cities have larger roost trees than would be found in surrounding areas.

#8. Joining Calif Parks Foundation

Right now you can get a deal and help the California State Parks Foundation by joining the organization. They are offering a Special Introductory Rate of $25 (regularly $40) and they are throwing in a one-year subscription to Sunset magazine (a $16 value) to all membership levels. You will also receive: 7 day-use parking passes, good for admission to more than 200 state parks, California Parklands newsletter, and an Official California State Parks map. Check it out at: www.calparks.org  * California State Parks Foundation membership card

#9. Great Old Broads

Great Old Broads sends information about an exciting event for Broads in September. The Spring Basin Broadwalk, to be held near Fossil, OR on September 18-22, 2008 has a few slots left.
Cost: $165 - includes camping first night, lodging at the Hancock Field Station the next 3 nights and all meals Thursday dinner through Monday breakfast. E-mail rose at reatoldbroads.org or phone at 970-385-9577 for more information or to reserve a spot. Or mail the full amount, $165, to Great Old Broads for Wilderness at PO Box 2924, Durango, CO 81302.
Details: "Join us for our first ever Oregon Broadwalk. Located in the high desert of central Oregon, the Spring Basin proposed wilderness encompasses rolling hills of sagebrush and dramatic rock spires where you’ll find sensitive archaeological sites and endangered plants and animals."
Local landowners, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) have worked together to develop a Wilderness proposal that could permanently protect Spring Basin. With widespread local support for the proposal, the future of a Spring Basin Wilderness rests in the hands of Congress.
Our base for most of the weekend is the Hancock Field Station, a rustic facility run by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) with "cabins"(provide your own bedding), showers and a dining hall where we can meet and eat."
We will gather Thursday afternoon to get acquainted. Friday will find us day hiking in Spring Basin Wilderness Study Area led by local leaders and with a range of options of difficulty/length. That evening ONDA staff will tell us about area wilderness and conservation issues. Saturday we’ll have a workday pulling fence on the northern border between Pine Creek and Spring Basin Wilderness Study Area. Regional and national wilderness issues will be our evening topics. Sunday we’ll be hiking and exploring and learning about the area some more. Watch the website for more details. Come join the fun! For more information about Spring Basin visit ONDA's website. www.omsi.org/education/oss/pdf/OMSICamps.pdf 

#10. Camino Art

Melissa West, whose art has often been inspired by her Camino walk, is having a sale of her work as well as several showings. Melissa is moving her studio from Oakland to Santa Cruz, CA and is having her first-ever art sale to celebrate: "ALL artwork in my studio is 10% off through the end of August, AND prices include tax. Email me to ask about your favorite painting or print, buy art on Etsy, or come to an open house. Open House, Thursday through Saturday, August 14 - 16. Thursday, August 14, 4pm - 8pm Friday, August 15, 4pm - 8pm Saturday, August 16, 12 noon - 6pm (You must call or email to set up an appointment because she lives in a gated community.) Current shows: Paso a Paso, Prints from the Camino de Santiago, is currently on display at 2223 Restaurant, located at 2223 Market Street in San Francisco. The prints will be up through September 24. Alameda's Towne Center through the auspices of the Frank Bette Center for the Arts. They are available for viewing each Thursday evening from 5:30 - 7pm, when there is also a free concert. For additional viewing hours, contact the Frank Bette Center at 510-523-6957. Visit her website at www.mswest.com . Email studio at mswest.com

Happy trails,
Susan Alcorn

The #1 question that I am asked by women when I speak at backpacking functions is, "Where can I find someone to backpack with?" I hope this issue helps some of you find an answer to this dilemma because you'll read about a variety of interesting backpacking or hiking trips with an assortment of companies or organizations. I wish I could do them all myself.

Contents:
1. Dirty Girl Gaiters
2. Audubon trip: Mono Lake/Eastern Sierra, CA
3. Bee Stings
4. Loma Prieta (Sierra Club): Backpack Trips
5. John Vonhof of "Fixing Your Feet" Fame
6. Flying on the Pacific Crest Trail?
7. June 24th CAMINO Event
8. Simon Calder Explores SPAIN (Camino clips)
9. Food Storage: Freeze-Dried Shelf Life
10. Classic Appalachian Trail Distance Calculator
11. California Coastal Trail Hikers
12. Call of the Wild: Backpacking to Mt. Whitney
13. Regional: San Francisco Bay Area: Ridge Trail Outing
14. Regional: Susan and Ralph's Upcoming Camino Programs

#1. Dirty Girl Gaiters

I bought my first pair of Dirty Girl Gaiters last year, but didn't really use them until our April-May backpack trip. They are great! Very easy to use, keep my feet and socks cleaner than usual (at least my ankles and back of my foot), and not hot. I now have two pairs so I can vary my gaiter wardrobe. Highly recommended and very sexy if I do say so myself. $13 includes shipping; 7.75% sales tax is added to California orders. They have great customer service! www.dirtygirlgaiters.com . Click on "My Empire of Dirt" to order.

#2. Audubon Trip

Golden Gate Audubon Society goes to the Eastern Sierra Nevada. Friday–Sunday, July 11–13 Contact: Rusty Scalf, rscalf@sonic.net, 510.666.9936; Emilie Strauss, desertpeach@earthlink.net, 510.540.8749. "Meet July 11 at 8 a.m. at Mono Lake County Park, just north of Lee Vining; overnight stay on July 10 is recommended. We plan to cover diverse habitats, hiking up to 10,000 feet in the surrounding Eastern Sierra in search of birds and flowers. Trip will likely include Mono Lake and Lundy Canyon and environs, but will be fine-tuned upon arrival. Emilie has done extensive field work in the Mono basin. Participants are responsible for their own transportation, food, and lodging; information can be found at www.leevining.com . Trip will include long hikes at a high elevation and will require endurance. Trip is limited to 15 people. Contact Rusty Scalf to reserve your spot and for more information. Be prepared for entrance fees to such places as Yosemite National Park and Bodie State Park, and/or taxi service across Saddlebag Lake." [ed. This is just one of the many trips that this chapter offers in the S. F. Bay Area and further afield.] Check out: http://www.goldengateaudubon.org/html/fieldtrips/fieldtrips_main.htm 

#3. Bee Stings

Pain Relief from Bee Stings? Item sent by Amy Racina (author of "Angels in the Wilderness"); please note that neither of us is recommending this treatment, we're just sending it along. Original source unknown.
"BEE STINGS!
This information may be something to remember, as this season will soon be here again...It might be wise to carry a penny in your pocket while working in the yard.... A couple of weeks ago, I was stung by both a bee and hornet while working in the garden. My arm swelled up, so I went to the doctor. The clinic gave me cream and an antihistamine. The next day the swelling was getting progressively worse, so I went to my regular doctor. The arm was infected and needed an antibiotic. The doctor told me - ' The next time you get stung, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes'."
That night, my niece was stung by two bees. I looked at the bite and it had already started to swell. So, I taped a penny to her arm for 15 minutes. The next morning, there was no sign of a bite. We decided that she just wasn't allergic to the sting."
Soon, I was gardening outside. I got stung again, twice by a hornet on my left hand. I thought, here I go again to the doctor for another antibiotic. I promptly got my money out and taped two pennies to my bites, then sat and sulked for 15 minutes. The penny took the sting out of the bite immediately. In the meantime the hornets were attacking, and my friend was stung on the thumb. Again the penny. The next morning I could only see the spot where the hornet had stung me. No redness, no swelling. My friend's sting was the same; couldn't even tell where she had been stung. She got stung again a few days later upon her back—cutting the grass! And the penny worked once again."
Wanted to share this marvelous information in case you experience the same problem. We need to keep a stock of pennies on hand. The doctor said that the copper in the penny counteracts the bite. It definitely works! Please remember and pass this information on to your friends, children, grandchildren, etc."
Susan adds: www.Snopes.com  gives this urban legend an "undetermined." They note that there are many folk remedies that make the rounds and state that there is nothing magical about the [which is a small percentage] of copper in pennies.
More importantly, they note that some people are extremely allergic to bee stings and should seek immediate medical attention. Those who know they are allergic to stings should carry an EpiPen and then seek immediate medical attention.
And odd thing I noted in the "Bee Stings" article is that it uses the terms "bee" and "hornet" interchangeably, but they are not the same insects. Bees can only sting once and their stinger is left behind in the site where you were stung. When you remove the stinger, try not to squeeze the venom into your wound. A credit card, which can be used to scrap it out, may work better than tweezers, which might squeeze more venom into the wound. I personally prefer to use ice (or a cold water bottle when hiking) to reduce the swelling. One final note: these people sure get stung a lot! I could count on my fingers the times I've been stung in my lifetime.

#4. Loma Prieta Sierra Club trips

The most frequent question that I get when giving talks on women's backpacking is "How do I find someone to backpack with?" I can't easily match people up, but I do love to pass word along about organizations that have backpacking trips. The Loma Prieta chapter (which meets in Palo Alto, CA) of the Sierra Club offers some wonderful backpacking trips—at a variety of levels and in a variety of locations. Going on some of their trips would be a great way to find some compatible companions and discover some new territory. Some trips may be full, if so, get on the cancellation list. http://lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/BPS/trips.html  A sampling from their website:
July 7-13. Pacific Crest Trail: Section M. (rated 3B [7-10 miles/ 2,00-3,000 ft. elevation gain); dayhikes Highway 49 (near Sierra City) to Bucks Summit (near Bucks Lake).
"We'll start this summer's PCT hiking with Section M. 57 miles of day hiking over six days (ranging from 7.6 miles to 12.5 miles each day), with a layover day in the middle. Do as many (or as few) of the hikes as you wish. Camp at Plumas-Eureka SP or stay in a motel near Graeagle or Calpine. Well-behaved dogs are welcome. Limit 12. For reservations and instructions, contact Dorie Stoessel at 650-941-2502 or 530-583-0382 or by sending e-mail to duchess at casaraquel dot com (e- mail preferred)."
August 8-10. Yosemite National Park: Tuolumne Meadows to Upper Young Lake. "This is a beautiful loop trip out of Tuolumne Meadows to the highest of the Young Lakes. We will hike approximately 7 miles in and gain 1700 feet and set up camp at Upper Young Lake. The next day we will day hike cross-country to Roosevelt Lake. On the return we will descend via the Dog Lake trail with spectacular views south to Tuolumne Meadows. Hot water commissary for breakfast and dinner. Limited to 6 trip participants. Trip fee is $8 per participant. Cancellation two weeks prior for full refund. Leader: Renee Rivera; co- leader: Anne Gorby. To sign up please contact the leader, Renee Rivera at reneemaririvera at yahoo dot com. Reservations will be taken after May 8th."

#5. John Vonhof

This is from John Vonhof's Fixing Your Feet E-Zine, January 2008 (copyrighted material) EDITORIAL: PATCHING BLISTERS – THEN AND NOW Years ago, around 1985, I ran my first Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. Then I had a second finish and a third, and finally a DNF at Rucky Chucky. I still remember my first time. My feet hurt from a blister on the ball of one foot. I made it to Rucky Chucky and crossed the river. My drop bag had clean shoes and socks. As I pulled off my wet socks and socks, I realized the blister needed patching. My recollection is that there was a podiatrist across the river and he offered to help. The patch he applied was the standard back then. Clean and pop the blister, add a layer of Vaseline, cover it with a piece of gauze with moleskin over the top. Did it work? Yes, in that I was able to finish in 26:32 and change. And No, in that it was extremely uncomfortable and made every step hurt. That old patch was bulky and uncomfortable. It introduced something new and large into my shoe and changed the way my foot fit in my shoe. It also changed my gait. I knew there was a better way."
Over the years, blister care has evolved as products were introduced. We had Spenco’s 2nd Skin, which is still around and still one of the most popular patches. Then there was Compeed, which took several names as it went from company to company, Blister Block, and a host of similar knock-offs."
For years, I used a lot of 2nd Skin. I like the sticky stuff and bought it by the 300-count jar. I noticed however, that as I took the old 2nd Skin and tape off to apply another patch, the skin underneath had really macerated. This made it difficult to apply a new patch. This is most important for runners and walkers in ultras, and adventure racers in multi-day events. These athletes, whose feet had been protected, were, in my view, now open to more problems."
So, in the past years, I have moved away from 2nd Skin to a very basic system. I clean around the blister, drain it, and then apply a dab of zinc oxide. Over the top goes a strip of Kinesio-Tex tape. This system put a very thin strip of tape on the foot, which is virtually un- noticeable to the athlete. I have not seen or been told of problems with this system."
Times have changed. If I am working a single day event, an Avon Walk, or a 50-Miler, a nice Spenco Sports Blister patch or 2nd Skin works well. But for any multiday event, or long ultra, I will use my system until I find something better. If you have any ideas, or want to share your favorite blister patch, please send me an email." SUBSCRIBE or E-mail: FixingYourFeetEzine -subscribe@ yahoogroups. com or go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FixingYourFeetEzine .

#6. Flying the pct?

Peter Kirby decides to fly instead of walk the PCT? "I just got back. Like your experience, the wind was very strong between Kelso Valley and Bird Spring Pass. I even got knocked off my feet once — my first ever! I love challenges so it was fun and the flowers were beautiful. I got some tick bites just before Walker Pass with the telltale red circles and headed home to get checked for Lyme disease."

#7. Celebration in Santiago de Compostela:

 The 24th of June is a big holiday in Galicia and celebrated non-stop in Santiago. The 24th of June is St. John's day AND the summer solstice. Rosina, who contributes frequently to a Camino forum (gocamino-subscribe AT oakapple.net) writes, "The night preceding it is a very big do that goes back to the ancient Celts, dedicated to worship the purifying element of fire. All over Santiago fires are lit to scare away 'bad spirits' and shoo off the 'meigas.' The fire-worshiping Galician rites require the devotees to jump repeatedly over the lit fires, at least three times, to leave behind bad vibes and, once fire-purified, to attract good luck and good things. The tradition also requires that wild flowers be gathered and left in water overnight, in the open air, so that they be enriched by the morning dew; washing one's face in the morning with the resultant perfumed water guarantees beauty and youthful appearance."
At night, all over the city, you will find people jumping over fires, grilling sardines all over the city and making "churrasco" (strips of meat, seasoned and broiled over an open fire) as well as groups singing Galician airs. Rosina adds that the weather in Galicia at present is ideal.

#8.Simon Calder on Spain

 A website, "The Independent Travels" features "48 Hours in and around Spain" a podcast by Simon Calder. On the podcast, you'll see wonderful images of Leon and Astorga (including a visit to a tasty chocolate museum). http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/sound-and-vision/?vid=825093 
On "Spain: Twin Track: a trail of Two Train Travellers," you'll travel from Leon to Santiago de Compostela aboard one of the greatest luxury trains of Europe. "The toss of a coin decides whether Ben Ross or Simon Calder will indulge aboard El Cantabrico, while the other takes the budget option. But whatever the outcome, both will get to enjoy the rich heritage, countryside and shorelines of 'Green Spain.'" http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/sound-and-vision/?vid=823251  There are more travels in Spain. Check it out.

#9. Food Storage

Kristin Hostetter, "Gear Chick," www.backpacker.com  answers a reader's question about dehydrated food. "Does freeze dried food go bad?" Her response, "…bite into a stale packet and you'll know what it tastes like to clean a chalkboard with your tongue. Fortunately, packages are stamped with a "Best if used by" or a Julian date code (21203 means it was packaged on the 212th day of 2003). Store yours in a dark, dry place and eat it within 2 years of that date."

#10.Classic Appalachian Trail Distance Calculator.

 This is a fantastic tool/site for Appalachian Trail hikers. This program calculates the approximate walking distance in miles between 2 points along the Appalachian Trail. Simply choose a selection from each of the list boxes below, then click on the submit button. These distances are based on the Appalachian Trail Data Book for 2006, a publication of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. He lists the points both North to South and south to north. http://www.mikecalabrese.com/users/mikec/applications/atdist/atdist.html 

#11. California Coastal Trail hikers

Hiking the California Coastal Trail: "Justin Davis & Ryan Fox. On June 9th, 2008, Ryan Fox and Justin Davis embarked on their summer- long hike from Santa Monica into Oregon on the California Coastal Trail (CCT). They will walk over 1,000 miles of their native state, and it will take 3 months to do it. They are walking for many reasons: to revisit places they've traveled and/or lived in the past, to see new places, and to connect with friends and family along the way. The hike is also going to be in support of Coastwalk and its work toward the completion of the Coastal Trail. You'll be able to read their blog and view their photos on the Coastwalk website, beginning in about a week (around Thursday, June 12).
On their way they will be volunteering their time helping Coastwalk update segment maps of the CCT. They will also be raising awareness about the California Coastal Trail to those they meet along the way. They will be spending close to 90 days along the trail, many of them camping. However, camping is not always an option. Many nights will be spent between campsites, and due to budgetary concerns, hotels will rarely be used. So they are asking for your help. In return for a few good stories and a home-cooked meal (they are great cooks) they could use a few places to stay along the coast. This walk is as much about the people they meet along the way as it is about the places they walk.
Coastwalk urges you to help these adventurers out in any way you can! Please contact them directly to offer your assistance: Ryan Fox, gosummit2002@yahoo.com, (510) 693-4735 - Mobile Justin Davis, jdavis8750@yahoo.com, (408) 464-4415 - Mobile
Remember Coastwalk (a nonprofit) offers day hikes as well as backpacking trips to on the California coast for people of all ages. Coastwalk, 825 Gravenstein Highway North, Suite 8, Sebastopol, California 95472 (800) 550-6854. www.coastwalk.org

#12. Call of the Wild - Backpacking to Mt. Whitney

Women only need apply: Call of the Wild, the "Pioneer of Adventure Travel for Women," is now celebrating its 30th year of leading adventure trips. An example of their 2008 adventures is: Mt. Whitney Backpack, [August 1-8, 2008]. "Ready to make a change in your life? This High Sierra adventure appeals to women ready to meet a challenge, physical or otherwise! This is our twenty-fourth annual backpacking trip to Mt. Whitney, and we've guided literally hundreds of women to the summit."
This 8-day trip covers about 58 miles in six hiking days. We'll walk through some of the most dramatic, beautiful scenery in the High Sierra. Our route goes through Sequoia National Park and follows the Pacific Crest Trail and the John Muir Trail. The climax of our trip is the summit of Mt. Whitney. At 14,495', it's the highest point in the continental United States. A Pre-Trip Class is included when you sign up for this trip. Go to Pre-Trip Classes."
Rating: Challenging, Cost: $1,350, Deposit: $500 View a detailed itinerary of this trip and other domestic as well as foreign trips at: www.callwild.com  Phone: 530-642-1978 Toll-free outside California: 888-378-1978 Fax: 530-642-1978 E-mail: trips@callwild.com Mailing address: Call of the Wild, 610 Myrtle Avenue, Placerville, CA 95667 http://www.callwild.com 

#13. Regional:

 Bay Area Ridgetrail Events: www.ridgetrail.org  Green Valley Falls Hike Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008 Location: Vallejo, Solano County Description: "Green Valley Falls is one of the most picturesque places in Solano County and the waterfall vies for the title of most beautiful in the Bay Area. Our Solano County Committee has obtained permission for three hikes to visit this lovely spot in the Vallejo watershed, on trails the Council helped to repair after the winter storms of 2005-2006. The falls flow all year long and it is cool and inviting even on a hot day. The hike is fairly short, but there are some steep and difficult spots. Doris Klein will lead the hikes this year. The start time is 9 am and the hike should last about 3 hours."
The City of Vallejo limits each hike to 30 people. We'll take reservations on a first-come first-served basis. You must bring a photo ID, be older than 12 years old, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian if you are under 18. The City also requires the Council to buy a permit and carry insurance. To cover these costs, we ask current Ridge Trail members pay $10 each and non-members pay $15 to join this outing. You must be registered to go on this hike. Directions provided with registration confirmation. Confirmations will not be sent until late April, and then every other week following (so you may not receive confirmation for 2 weeks after registering).

Happy trails,
Susan Alcorn

1. ThermaRest Cushioning?
2. Pacific Crest Trail re-route--Hooray!
3. Scott Williamson's upcoming PCT hike
4. Reservations for lodging in Santiago de Compostela
5. Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides Trips
6. Campo, CA: The PCT southern Terminus
7. Whew! and you thought Half Dome (Yosemite) was scary!
8. Petra, the Confused Swan!
9. Mountain Lion Primer
10. Where in the World are Susan and Ralph?

#1. Thermarest Cushioning

Ralph and I use very lightweight sleeping pads for our backpacking trips and they generally are comfortable enough. We use the Therm-a-rest Z-Lite, which is a 3/4 length (51" long) pad. I recently wondered if over time the cushioning is reduced. I measured the pad in its folded up position (it folds up sort of accordion- style); it measured 3-1/2"--the new ones measure 5"--we bought new ones!

#2. Pacific Crest Trail Re-route

Friday's newspaper (S.F.Chronicle: May 9, 2008) brought unexpected, but delightful news. Conservationists and the owners of Tejon Ranch have agreed on a plan that would save 240,000 acres from development. Tejon Ranch, which surrounds the area known to those who drive to Los Angeles as the "Grapevine," is composed of grassland, oak forest, and desert. One of the plans within the agreement is to reroute 37 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail that currently meanders through the Mojave Desert. Having just completed the trail section that goes through the desert, I can testify that a reroute would be most welcome to hikers. More importantly, this land acquisition would protect an important corridor for such animals as kit foxes and California Condors (an endangered species).

#3. Scott Williamson

A posting today on the PCT-l forum announced that Scott Williamson, who has "yo-yo" hiked (walked both ways within one year) the Pacific Crest trail twice, is out to break the unassisted record for the trail. He and Joe Kisner plan to leave Campo (on the border of Mexico) June 8th at noon. The current record is 79 days, 21 hours, and 42 minutes for the 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada.

#4. Reservations for lodging in Santiago

Grant Spangler writes on the Camino forum that a refugio in Santiago de Compostela has started taking reservations. "The Seminario Menor in Santiago is now taking reservations over the Internet. Just fill out the online form, Name, address, DNI, and don't forget your email and phone number." The Seminario is about a 10- minute walk from the Cathedral. Fee is Euro: 9,50 per person, per day. http://www.albergueseminariomenor.com/reservas.php

#5. Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides

 Named "Best Outfitter on Earth" by National Geographic Adventure Magazine Nov/2007. Here are some of their offerings--such a fantastic collection of trips-- everything from daytrips to multi-weeklong mountain climbs; local to global, private guided trips to group outings.
Women's Backpacking Course in the Wilderness of the Sierra Nevada: Guided by Heidi Vetter who spent 82 days solo hiking the Sierra, this course is an amalgamation of her skills and experiences that she hopes to pass on to other women, inspiring them to find their own sense of stillness in nature. Moderate hiking daily, this course is designed to impart the skills you need to make yourself at home in the wilderness.
* Heidi Vetter's Wilderness Photography and Women's Backpacking Course
* Duration: 5 days/4 nights
* Level: moderate
* Cost: $995 photo trip, $795 women's backpacking trip
* 2008 Dates: July 2-6 photo, Aug 6-10 backpacking
* Aconcagua (22,841')
* Duration: 19 Days/18 Nights
* Level: Strenuous
* Cost: $3695 per person on group size of 8-10 people
* $3995 per person on group size of 6-7 people
* $4295 per person on group size of 4-5 people
* 2009 Dates: Jan 6-24, 2009
* Custom/Private Guided Backpacking
* Duration: based upon itinerary
* Level: all
* Cost: $425/Day for 1-2 people, $95/day for each additional
person up to 6 people in Yosemite and Ansel Adam's Wilderness(Southern
Yosemite).
* Half Dome, Mt Whitney (Cottonwood), and remote Sequoia-Kings
Canyon Backpacks: $495.00/Day for 1-2 people, $100/day each
additional.
* All private and custom trips include guide(s), permits, meals,
and all equipment.
* 2008 Dates: May through October
Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides is located in Bishop, CA.
Go to: http://www.symg.com/index.php "Best Outfitter on Earth" by National Geographic Adventure Magazine Nov/2007 (800) 231-4575 http://www.symg.com
The president of SYMG is Ian Elman and he was kind enough to answer some of my questions about his company's services. "A lot of people think, "If I can't get lost I don't need a guide." Having a guide makes the experience a richer one for the clients. It takes the 'worry' of logistics out of the trip (where, when, how, when to stop and rest, when to fill up on water, when to turn around and when to keep going etc). A guide can also pace clients properly to achieve a greater success rate getting up and down. They also add a safety net for any accidents or injuries that can (and do) occur. All of our guides are Wilderness First Responder trained. Our local guides know the trail and have had many experiences with many types of hikers. This knowledge base allows them to evaluate clients quickly and efficiently which allows them to make decisions in regards to safety while balancing the client's personal goals. Some people are very intimidated by all of these factors and they enjoy having professional, knowledgeable, and friendly guides with them for their Half Dome experience."
There are 2 other factors that our services are also used for on Half Dome in particular. The first is liability. School groups, company groups or groups of friends, or family reunions or just a couple of friends. The responsibility is transferred to a professional. There is less of a chance that anything 'can go wrong' with a guide and if it does 'go wrong' for some reason, then they aren't responsible in most cases. Also, families where the parents want to share the wilderness experience with their kids but want to make sure that the kids have a great time. By hiring a guide, they can feel good that the time is going to be the best it can be and that their kids respond better to the experience with some else in charge besides them."

#6. Campo and PCT Terminus

For those who haven't been to the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, you can watch a neat video of the trail's inauspicious beginning at the following link. http://pct77.org/adz/getting_there.htm#border

#7. And you thought climbing Half Dome was treacherous

Watch this! Sue writes, "Thought you'd like to check out the video 'El Camino del Rey', now playing on Brightcove.tv. (also forwarded by Marcy). This is in Andalucia (Spain). Originally built in 1901, this walkway now serves as an approach to makinodromo, the famous climbing sector of El Chorro." http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1438490562

#8. Petra, a black Australian swan who lives in Munster, Germany

seems to have been imprinted with an unlikely "parent." It seems, the Audubon (March 2008) magazine reports, that Petra has fallen in love with a white, plastic swan-shaped pedal boat. She stares longingly at the boat, circles it, and coos at it whenever boaters sail it around the lake.

#9. Mountain Lion Primer

Mountain lions attacks are rare, but since our hiking season is upon us, it seems prudent to review some strategies. First, experts tell us, if you see a mountain lion, it's likely that it has been watching you for some time. Mountain lions generally follow their prey at some distance and then crouch before their final run to attack.
If you see a mountain lion, stand tall (holding your hiking poles above your head might help). Do NOT run, back away confidently. Mountain lions main source of food is deer--about one per week. They are not used to their prey fighting--so in case of attack, FIGHT BACK. A woman whose husband was attacked last year in Northern California used a ballpoint pen to punch the mountain lion in the eye. (info from Jerry George, "Attacks area rare, but be prepared to fight" Chron" 5.10/2008, pg. F4.).
Though I have never seen a mountain lion in our thousands of miles of hiking, I would love to--from a safe distance! (We did see a fresh print in the dust in section E of the PCT a couple of weeks ago).

#10. Where in the world are Ralph and Susan

The reason that this newsletter is coming out at such an odd time--not the 1st of the 15th of the month--is because Ralph and I are heading out again on a backpacking trip. Actually we are resuming the PCT trip of sections E,F, & G that we started in mid-April. These sections are in southern California, starting in Agua Dulce and ending in Kennedy Meadows--a distance of about 250 miles.
This is a rather challenging portion of the PCT as far as weather and water supplies. To help with the water problem (the lack thereof) Ralph actually went down south early in April, drove miles of dirt roads or hiked in, in order to place caches of water at appropriate places along the trail. There is at least one stretch with no natural water for 20+ miles and another stretch of 30+ miles. Since we normally hike 12-15 miles per day, you can see the problem.
As usual, we had the good fortune to have trail angel encounters. Donna and Jeff Saufley of Agua Dulce and to Diane Ely, saw that we got off to a good start. The Saufley's, who run the famous-in-hiker- circles "Hiker Heaven," provided us with a comfy bed and a hearty fettuccine dinner the night before we started hiking. They also kept our car for us until we returned. Diane was on standby to help us anywhere along the route and she was the one who picked us up in Tehachapi when our trip ended--100 miles from her house!
Part of Section E's "charm" is that you have to walk a day or two along the California and then the Los Angeles aqueduct. The irony is lost on no one who has traveled this way that millions of gallons of water are flowing just below your feet (go rent the movie "Chinatown" if you don't remember how the water was "stolen" from the Mono Lake area and sent on its way to Southern California). However in the Los Angeles aqueduct, the water is buried under several inches of concrete with no access for desert hikers.
Skipping ahead to the Mojave Desert. Although I had dreaded the crossing of the Mojave Desert, we were lucky enough to be protected by some cloud cover, or light winds, most of the time. And thank goodness, we did not see any sidewinders or even the dangerous Green Mojave rattlesnake.
We encountered a problem on Day #12. Although we hadn't seen anyone for almost three days and had no phone reception, we had been doing well and were on schedule. Mid-afternoon, we stopped for a break at Butterbredt Canyon. A car pulled up, then a second one. Chester (the younger) stepped out. We got to talking and soon learned that he and his parents were slack-packing sections of the PCT. They had two rental cars and each day they would drive one car to their chosen endpoint and then drive the second car to their starting point. Then they would walk from car to car. We thought it was an interesting way of doing their hike with the benefit of not having to carry their backpacks.
We say "goodbye" and resumed our hike. As we climbed towards Pinyon Mountain, the wind started to pick up. By 5:00 PM, it was blowing quite hard and we began to look for a sheltered place to set up camp. We found nothing suitable for setting up a